Palace Green Library Events

All that Glitters: Treasure, Hoards and Bronze Age England and Wales

As part of the Dig Deeper talks Dr Ben Roberts of the Department of Archaeology, Durham University and former Curator for the European Bronze Age collections at the British Museum will talk about Bronze Age hoards and treasure in England and Wales.

The introduction of the Treasure Act (1996) created a revolution in Bronze Age archaeology in England and Wales. For instance, over one third of all known Bronze Age gold objects have been found in the last 20 years, including several previously unknown types.

Almost all of these findings were made by members of the public, the majority of whom were metal-detecting. In contrast, professional archaeologists have discovered less than 5 % of Bronze Age gold sites or objects, despite the rapid expansion of developer-funded archaeology in England and Wales during the same period. The immense research implications are only gradually being explored. The talk will explore how the latest discoveries, including several from northeast England, are re-shaping our understanding of life in prehistoric Britain.